Sort By

Dates

Duration

WHILE most 11 year olds are only interested in watching YouTube videos and playing Fortnite, Shelby Counterman would rather spend time with her enormous INSECT collection. Shelby from Claremore, Oklahoma, is an insect and reptile enthusiast living in Claremore, Oklahoma. The pre-teen became obsessed with creepy crawlies when she was just 18 months old and has been collecting all kinds of bugs since she was three. Shelby currently has approximately 1,400 insects, comprising of about 20 different species of roaches, including lobster roaches, question mark roaches and hissing roaches. As well as stick insects, mealworms, Monarch butterflies, a corn snake and a Mediterranean house gecko. Her prized possession is a Simandoa cave roach, which is extinct in the wild.

ONE HAPPY dog had a rough start in life, after being diagnosed with a fatal disease. Murray the Weimaraner was found as a puppy with his three siblings on Dead Dog Beach in Puerto Rico. The name 'Dead Dog Beach' is attributed to this spot because it is a well known dumping spot for stray animals. Whilst in Puerto Rico, Murray and his siblings showed signs of distemper, a virus that is fatal to most dogs as it affects their respiratory and nervous symptoms. Murray was due to be euthanised, however after a wag of his tail - the vet changed their mind and did what they could to treat him. Due to the virus, Murray now has no teeth, causing his tongue to flop out of his mouth. He also has bone deformation that makes him look a little different. But this didn't stop him from being adopted by Mackenzie Gallant and her family.

Territorial claims and disputes are as deadly to animals as well as to humans. This video shows how determined one is to protect and maintain their territory. Nonetheless, with the overwhelming strength of the younger giant cat, the other is subdued. Should he fight till his last breath? Check the video to find out what happened. Territory – a factor that is so vital for anything that lives. Anyone who does not have a space he or she can claim as their personal territory feels so restricted and not totally free to thrive. Thus, it is so important for one to define his or her own personal territory, no matter how small it is. Whether one is willing to share the enjoyment of such territory to another living creature is a choice that could be deadly. For cats, territory is very important - as important as life itself. Marc Nussaume, a wildlife photographer is so lucky to have captured pictures and recorded videos while these jaguars fought. The two jaguars are named Scarface and Marley. They appear to be of the same size so it is difficult to say if they are young or old. But, as mentioned in the video, Scarface is twelve years old while Marley is four years old. At the start of the video, Scarface was shown doing his routine patrol over his territory of about thirty square miles. Wow, that is a wide territory, is it not? Well, if you read about the territory of jaguars online it says that female jaguars usually maintain a range of about twenty square kilometers to twice than this. On the other hand, the males have about double the range of the females territory. If humans build walls or fences to mark their boundaries, how do jaguars mark their territory? Perhaps, there is no need to answer this question as you already know the answer. Now, marking is as important as protecting and maintaining the boundary of such territory thus, the more important question is how do these big cats ward off intruders? No trespassing is their rule. These big cats are solitary in nature. They do not stay in a group like lions stay in a pack. Their tolerance level is so low that an intruder would surely spark a fierce fight. Nature photographer Marc Nussaume and his girlfriend Pailin were so lucky to have witnessed, snapped photos and take a video of this startling incident at Pantanal, Brazil when one male fights to defend his territory while the other fights to conquer and gain a new home. It must take much courage to track jaguars knowing that they are the beast of prey . With their long and sharp teeth and claws with a muscular body built and massive weight that may go as heavy as one hundred fifty kilograms, humans can easily be overpowered by these giant cats. Will you dare track jaguars to obtain a unique video of how they defend their territory? If you dare go, be careful. You are not a rival or an intruder of these giant cats’ territory but you are to them a sumptuous meal. Remember that these creatures, no matter how gorgeous their coats are, are extremely dangerous.

Cats are captivating, thus it is no wonder that people love having them in their homes. Nonetheless, here we are talking about domesticated cats. Will you be thrilled by the thought of sharing your home with wild cats, bobcats for instance? The thrill is real as wild cats may display divergent behavior compared to domesticated species. If you are up for the thrill, take a look at this video to know what to expect having bobcats in your home. If you are a cat lover, you might be considering keeping these interesting and awesome creatures.. Watching the video, one may not instantly notice that these cats are wild. If you do not pay attention to their size, their tails and ears, it is convenient to maintain the impression that the video is just another cat video posted on the Internet. Looking closely, these cats are much bigger than a home cat we regularly see. According to Melissa and Mick McAllister, the owners of these two bobcats named Gypsy and Monaco, owning bobcats mean having scratches. The good thing about it is that these injuries are suffered not because of aggression or anger. Melissa said that never were they hurt because their pets were angry – it is all during play. Since the claws of bobcats are longer and they are stronger too, the scratches that they cause may be deeper than those of domesticated cats. Cat owners of domesticated species agree that it is inevitable to sustain injuries when looking after for cats. While playing with them, they tend to bite and have a tight grip – this is how their claws manage its way penetrating our skin. If you are a cat person, you will agree that cats do put up efforts not to hurt their owners. When they bite, they won’t thrust their teeth with full force. However, they may still cause injuries and bleeding during the play. Other scratches are incurred while giving them a bath or grooming them – their claws are really sharp and once the they get in touch with the skin, it will sometimes cause tiny or even deep incision. Imagine having a cat that is double the size of what you have now, with claws that are longer and strength that is perhaps two times greater, too. This means you should always be prepared for injuries. Despite all these, the couple in Texas opted to keep two bobcats in their home. Why? Melissa mentioned that these cats are more loyal than any other pets that the couple ever had. She described how these creatures are so attached to them. Watch the video to hear the owners talk enthusiastically and with pride about these bobcats in their home. The owners also mentioned the lifespan of these cats and it is much longer than the domesticated ones. This means that owners won’t get very depressed for for the loss of their loving pets soon after they start looking after them. There is a longer period of time for bonding and caring, having fun and spending an exciting time with them. One question that a watcher may have in mind is since these cats are wild, can they be trained? One of the biggest concerns of pet owners is how to deal with the stench of their waste materials. Can bobcats learn to discharge their wastes in a particular place? You will find the answer in this video. Domesticated or wild, cats are amazing!

This determined sausage dog refuses to let being blind and deaf get in her way. The double dapple dachshund was left at a rescue centre a few years after being born. Lauren Ann Kramer-Theuerkauf, from Freeburg, Illinois, found Hope on a rescue website and instantly fell in love with her.

A school for kittens is rescuing and socialising stray cats so that they can be adopted into loving homes. In 2012, Shawn Simons, 50, set up Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats in Los Angeles after recovering from temporary paralysis caused by a double disc rupture in her spine, and giving up her life as a high flier in the television industry. Shawn developed her own curriculum for the cats and has dedicated her entire life to changing theirs. Since then the ‘Headmistress' has successfully rescued and rehabilitated thousands of cats.

A YOUNG turtle with only three flippers has exceeded expectations and migrated across the ocean. The loggerhead turtle was rescued on 12 July 2016 by environmental non-profit organisation Equinac, off the coast of Spain. At the time of discovery, the endangered animal, who rescuers have called Benjamin, had an almost-dead fin due to it being entangled in fishing equipment. Sadly, there was nothing that could be done to save the flipper, so the organisation chose to amputate the limb. When it came time to release him back into the wild in July 2018, the team decided to fit a tracking device to his shell. He was released in Cabo de Gata Natural Park in the Mediterranean, and has already travelled further than the team at Equinac ever expected.

A woman has dedicated her life to caring for hundreds of adorable guinea pigs. Saskia Chiesa set up Los Angeles Guinea Pig Rescue 20 years ago in Chatsworth, California. After discovering that there was no place for rescued guinea pigs to go in LA, Saskia knew she had to set up her own to save her spirit animal. The guinea pig lover expected to start slowly but she found herself with 20 guinea pigs with health problems within the first month.

GIANT Pit Bulls and happy family life might not traditionally go hand-in-hand, but one Mississippi mum is changing perceptions of the breed. Renee Castleman, 27, and her husband, Patrick, own Gatorhead Bullies – a breeding business specialising in XL Pit Bull Terriers and French Bulldogs. The company’s prestige puppies, which are bred for their athletic ability and protective instincts, sell for anything between $4,000 to $15,000. Renee, who runs the company from her 17-acre farm in rural Mississippi, quit her job as a sales manager for a computer company to run the business full time.

In June 2018, whilst on safari in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Botswana, photographer Anton Campbell-Harris got a little too close for comfort with a coalition of cheetahs. During this safari, a female presumably on heat was being harassed by four male cheetahs. After failing an escape up a tree, this female cheetah sought safety in the fleet of cars, where a fight broke out between the angry female and persistent males - right next to the photographers vehicle. Luckily the males were so engrossed in the female cheetah, they didn’t notice all the cars windows were still open.

A FEARLESS snake catcher rescues some of the worlds most dangerous snakes using his bare hands. Animal lover Barry Goldsmith has been handling the animals for 40 years without ever being seriously injured. The 52-year-old Australian and his wife Karen run a rescue service called Snake Catcher Victoria, based in the Mornington Peninsula in southern Australia. The area is home to some of the world's most venomous snakes, including tiger snakes, copperheads, eastern brown snakes and red-bellied black snakes. Barry has also spent time with Bali Reptile Rescue in Indonesia.

An animal lover has turned her small London flat into a secluded paradise for her collection of snakes, including a 16 foot Burmese python. Zee, 21, who is training to be a veterinary nurse, first saw a snake at six-years-old and has been obsessed with them ever since. At 14-years-old, she split the price of her first snake with her brother before bringing it home to her mum, who quickly had to get used to the idea of living in a mini reptile house. Now the animal lover has collected 16 snakes, including her majestic Burmese python, who likes to slither around the hallways to relax, a boa constrictor, royal python and a blood python.

A DOG trainer lets his six-year-old son don the 'bite sleeve' as a 175lb pit bull attacks - before passing the sleeve on to his TWO-year-old brother. Dark Dynasty K9s owner Marlon Grennan, 31, of New Hampshire, is the owner of Hulk, the star of Barcroft TV’s hit internet series Dog Dynasty. Grennan trains some of America’s most ferocious protection dogs, and has earmarked his two sons Jordan, 6, and Jackson, 2, as his heirs - and says he has no qualms about allowing them to get hands on with the pit bulls. After unleashing Hulk on his father, the elementary schooler put on the bite sleeve to be ‘Hulk smashed’ himself by the colossal canine. And as the training session came to a close, Grennan decided to let Jackson, 2, follow in his brother’s footsteps. Dog Dynasty season 2 is available on Barcroft TV’s YouTube and Facebook Watch pages, with a new episode released every Friday.

THE owner of the world’s biggest pitbull has paid tribute to his supersized canine companion - with an equally supersized tattoo. Dark Dynasty K9s founder Marlon Grennan, 31, had a giant image of Hulk, the 175lb pit bull who has taken the internet by storm, inked on to his chest. Hulk has become the figurehead of the New Hampshire-based protection dogs company and Grennan said he wanted to immortalise the canine colossus as a mark of respect for changing his life. Hulk’s size and power has catapulted him to internet stardom, with his own book deal, dog food brand and merchandising line - and regular guest appearances at dog shows. The enormous mutt recently attended a dog event in Manhattan to try out his new chunky gold collar, the ‘Midas’, made by the team at Big Dog Chains. Dog Dynasty season 2 is available on Barcroft TV’s YouTube and Facebook Watch pages, with a new episode released every Friday.

INTERNET sensation Hulk has a new kennel for his puppies - worth a cool $25,000. The colossal canine's pups are expected to grow so large that his owners Dark Dynasty K9s (DDK9s), turned to a company that specialise in building horse barns and stables to house them. The pampered pooches will enjoy full air conditioning during the summer, and heating to get them through the freezing New Hampshire winters. The pimped-up kennel also comes fitted with drainage, running water, a lobby, a “feed hall” and automatic doors. Dog Dynasty season 2 is available on Barcroft TV’s YouTube and Facebook Watch pages, with a new episode released every Friday.

THE world’s biggest pitbull Hulk celebrated the arrival of three new puppies after the litter faced a dramatic battle for survival. Breeder, Dark Dynasty K9s’ (DDK9s) huge 140lb female pitbull Stella was carrying canine colossus Hulk’s latest litter, with everything going to plan in the pregnancy. But with her due date rapidly approaching, a major storm hit the northeastern USA, with 70mph-plus winds felling trees and leaving 1.3 million people in the region without power. Unfortunately two of the puppies were stillborn, while two others passed away in the days after the birth, leaving three surviving pups. And the sole surviving male, King Kong, is being tipped to outgrow his famous doggy dad by owner Marlon Grennan - who predicts Kong could one day top the 200lb mark.

The owner of the world’s biggest pitbull has described the pain of being flattened by the gigantic 175lb beast. Marlon Grennan, 31, is the owner of protection dogs company Dark Dynasty K9s - home of the world-famous pitbull Hulk. During a training session at their New Hampshire HQ, Grennan was clattered by the giant dog, leaving him sprawled on the floor in serious pain. The huge hit is featured in the second season of Barcroft TV’s web series Dog Dynasty, which follows the exploits of Hulk. Series one was viewed over 150 million times and catapulted Hulk to global superstardom, and the loveable giant now has his own literary agent, dog food brand and merchandise line.

AN ANIMAL enthusiast is helping the elderly with dementia by visiting care homes with snakes, tarantulas and cockroaches. Kris Freeman is the owner and founder of Tropical Discovery Workshop, offering interactive and educational wildlife workshops to schools, parties and nursing homes across the UK. Kris, from Wiltshire, is passionate about animals and surrounds himself with them daily - living with approximately 400 of them in his home.

A WOMAN claims that her pet monkey has stopped her from getting a boyfriend - but she’ll never give him up. Stephanie Fusco grew up dreaming of owning a pet monkey, and her dreams came true two years ago. The 26-year-old's monkey, Alexander Laurence Fusco, also known as Xander, is a white faced capuchin lives with her in North Carolina, where it is legal to own certain exotic pets. Capuchins are medium-sized New World monkeys, native to Central America, however their intelligence and adaptability has made them sought after pets. Unsurprisingly domesticating a monkey hasn’t always been the easiest of tasks and Stephanie admits that her dedication to Xander the monkey has even affected her dating life.

In May 2015 a place called ‘Hope’, a rehabilitation center for birds of prey received a call about a red-tailed hawk trapped 60 ft up in the tree and it had been dangling perilously for 16 hours before a team could attempt to challenge in rescue. The male hawk had managed to get its leg wedged in a crevice in a tree. Poor little guy! Trying to escape, he got exhausted! Having no chance and no strength to free himself, the team had attempted a rescue 60 ft in the air! For us, these are the real heroes, who think only for the good of the animals! The real life heroes set up some rope lines and started climbing the tree so they can set this little guy free and enjoy again the blue skies and the priceless freedom! They released the hawk's legs from the tree and carrying him safely to the ground this story ends with a happy ending and one happy hawk thanks to this everyday heroes! After saving him the team made sure that the hawk is not hurt and give him the proper help and care he needs! Luckily, he was not hurt a lot so they gave him the proper medication to make sure he doesn’t have pain or any kind of infection before he was taken to the rehabilitation center! After a few days into the rehabilitation center, the hawk was recovering very well and his leg was recovering marvelous! He is going to be free again and be again with his family! We salute heroes like this who make the world a better place for humans and animals too!

Animals are always the spread of fun and joy. They offer great companionship and never has anyone felt alone or rather lonely around animals. This goes to say that people who love animals often seem to get them as companions and sometimes they feel they need more. The story here is that not one or two buy more then 50 animals are in this zoo where these inmates work and a place where mutual help is insured. The inmates help the animals with providing them food and cleaning their shelters while the animals provide the inmates with great companionship and lots of love. This Florida prison has a furry little secret - a zoo full of alpacas, birds, alligators, a lemur and even a sloth. The farm at Stock Island Detention Centre, in Key West was founded by accident in 1994 when the prison fenced off an area underneath to protect a gaggle of ducks that kept getting injured while crossing the road between the jail and a golf course. Now the prison is home to over 150 animals, ranging from the original ducks and farm animals to alligators and a ten foot python. Jeanne Selander, who manages the farm, takes four volunteers from the prison to help care for the animals and maintain the farm. This is a great and inspirational way how one can give back to the community, especially someone who has run into some rough patch. This Florida prison has come up with one of the greatest ideas as far as giving the inmates a chance to be a part of something while also giving back to the community and growing aside these animals.

FOR this conservationist, there is only one way to start her day - by hanging out with leopards. Babette De Jonge, 50, founded Wild Cats World in 2010 to help conserve endangered big cats, such as leopards, black-footed cats and African wildcats. Based in Kirkwood, South Africa, the sanctuary, started in 2012, is home to four leopards, and one cub, cheetahs, servals, caracals and Africa’s smallest cat - the black-footed cat. By building up a mutual respect with the leopards - who were rescued from exploitation - Babette has been able to work hands on with them during their rehabilitation.

A charity is giving Post Traumatic Stress Disorder sufferers a new lease of life by pairing them up with service dogs. 1Pet1Vet, based in Kankakee, Illinois is a non-profit organization that specialises in pairing and training companion and emotional support service dogs with military veterans, to cope with the effects of PTSD . The charity was started in 2013 by Afghanistan veteran Joe Trainer Jr. Joe had this idea of helping veterans that were dealing with different issues whether they were physical or mental through the aid of a dog and that’s how it got started. In order to make an impact on the veteran suicide rate, he decided to focus on veterans that were diagnosed with PTSD. The focus is on three symptoms the veterans contend with: flashbacks and night terrors or nightmares, social avoidance and social numbing, and being socially avoidant. The scheme also enables the veterans to take part in the training process, to obtain a close connection with their animal. The scheme has seen a remarkable change in the mentality of some veterans, including those who had lost all hope. The main goal of pairing veterans with service dogs is to reduce suicidal ideas, however they also help the vets reintegrate into society and help with symptoms such as anxiety and anger - and even physical symptoms such as headaches. Most often, people have a mental picture of post traumatic stress that looks like someone who is anxiously biting his nails and looking left and right. While they might occur, most often the post-traumatic symptoms are masked and the individuals are very guarded and one of the things that they struggle with is social connection.

An adventurer has found the perfect traveling purr-tner - his house cat Simon. He adopted the feline two years ago, and they have been travelling together across land and water ever since - with Simon normally nestled in his backpack. He wants to familiarize us with his ‘catventures’ by retelling his story and recounting events that happened along their way. We can find out that all started way back when he was a little kid exploring in the creeks in his backyard. However, his real outdoor career began in college when he started the excursion club. He realized at that moment that that was his calling, that was the way he could help the world and help the earth. So when he graduated college, he knew he needed to take his outdoor adventures on a bigger scale with the help of the media as a key to be able to influence more people on a much larger scale especially those that are unable to travel as much and see as much of the world. With only one difference, his pal Simon, the most loyal cat you can imagine. Like all cats, Simon loves nature, too. In fact, he is so used to his trips with his owner that whenever his owner walks near the door to go outside, Simon races to the door and gives a short little meow that makes his human know that he’s ready to go out. Simon and his owner have gone on road trips across the US, road trips that have been as long as 20 consecutive hours, they have gone to deserts, they have gone to majestic forests and they have even camped in the snow. The 35-year-old has been travelling the world for most of his life and has been sharing his travels on social media and as he says having Simon has helped him to embrace more of the journey and really appreciate the moment, appreciate the beauty of mother nature .

Meet Samson, New York's biggest cat - weighing 28 pounds and measuring an incredible four foot in length. The hulking feline is chauffeured around in his very own super-size carriage and spends his downtime playing fetch - just like a dog. The insatiable kitty eats six cans of food a day to feed his massive appetite. Despite popular belief, Samson is not a cross between a bear and a Persian cat. Can you even imagine that? Actually, he is a maine Coon , a cat breed known for their hulking sizes. He is the proud owner of DJ Jonathan Zurbel, who says: "I just watched his weight start to grow and grow. "I went to the vet and she said this is the largest cat we have in the registry. I decided to claim that name and claim that throne." Jonathan inherited the cat from his brother and dedicated himself to making Samson a celebrity on Instagram. Being a celebrity feline on social media doesn’t just make you look good, it works wonders for your entourage as well! Jonathan says that he has changed his love life completely, as many girls want to come over and meet the big fella. But having a big cat means having even bigger responsibilities. Jonathan had to get him a huge litter box and even a dog carrier and a dog leash! All joking aside, Jonathan hopes that Samson’s fame will help promote cat adoption . He says: "I like to share him with people and that’s really the goal - just get him out there. “I want to spread pet ownership and encourage people to adopt because there’s lots of cats out there that need homes.” Since he is convinced he has the largest cat in New York, a challenger is invited to come and say they have a bigger feline pet! The four-year-old Maine Coon has now reached celebrity status due to his impressive stature - and has amassed over 104,000 followers on Instagram. For more information, visit https://www.instagram.com/catstradamus/?hl=en